Sociology Lecture: Erving Goffman's Dramaturgy

Background

• Erving Goffman: Sociologist from the 1940s
• Focused on human interactions and social settings

Key Concepts

Dramaturgy

• People plan their behavior and aim to control how they are perceived.
• They act differently in social settings than they do when alone.
• Intentions include putting forth the best version of themselves.

Frontstage

• Definition: The social setting where individuals perform.
• Example: A person pretending to like baseball to make friends.
  • The intent is to manipulate how they are seen for social gain.
• Characteristics:
  • Acting for an audience.
  • Carefully thought-out behavior to gain favor.

Backstage

• Definition: A private area of life where individuals can be their true selves.
• Example: The same person may prefer hanging out with their cat and watching cooking shows in private.
• Characteristics:
  • No social setting or audience.
  • Behavior is natural and comfortable.
  • Known only by a few close people, if at all.

Contemporary Relevance

• Social Media Influence:
  • People are blurring the lines between frontstage and backstage.
  • They present an idealized version of their lives online.
• Implications:
  • Private lives are becoming staged performances.
  • The distinction between genuine behavior and social performance is becoming unclear.

Summary

• Frontstage: Public, performed actions aimed at social gain.
• Backstage: Private, true self, free from social pressures.
• Social media is blending these realms, affecting how we understand human behavior in social contexts.